The Choice
by Luna-Jayne
Summary: Just a little scene that popped into my head between Rhydian and Jana in 'Best Of Both Worlds'


_I know that I'm not great at updating and I'm sorry for that but I will try and get better! I am starting a Maddy/Rhydian story as I realise that I haven't done one yet, but I'm having a little trouble writing for Maddy so it may take a little time, but as soon as its done it will be uploaded along with a couple of others that should hopefully be completed soon too. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one _:)

The Choice

The brief meeting he had just had with Maddy was still whirling about in his head. Everything she'd said, her touch, her scent it was all he could think about. She always occupied most of his thoughts so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to him that he was thinking about her smile as he walked through the dense forest in the dead of night.

_'There are things here that I don't want to lose, ever'_

He'd said that, he'd said that to Maddy as they had stood in her garden. Her eyes had shone in the dark and captured his attention, her warm touch when she had taken his hand and placed it over her heart, still lingered on his skin and he longed to feel it again. It had taken all of his strength to walk away, but there was something he had to do. He had been torn when he had ventured to her house, but seeing her, hearing her voice had made his decision very easy.

He had been lying when he'd said those words, well maybe not lying, maybe exaggerating would be a better word, as there is only one thing he was terrified of losing and that was her. Rhydian knew that he could handle anything as long as Maddy was with him and he knew that no matter what happened he was never going to leave her again, this was where he wanted to be.

The sharp snapping of a twig behind him caused Rhydian to stop in his tracks and quickly sniff the air around him. The scent was not new to him, he'd sensed it quite a way back but had ignored it trying to focus instead on the task he had assigned himself. Now however, it was becoming increasingly difficult to overlook and he turned his head slightly to the side and narrowed his eyes.

'Is there a reason your following me Jana?' Rhydian said, his voice echoing around the silent forest.

No reply came for a couple of seconds but the hitch in her breathing told Rhydian that she was about to speak.

'Maybe' she replied softly her voice a little shy.

Rhydian looked down at the leafy ground sighing softly before slowly turning round to face her, his eyes clearly making her out in the dark murky forest.

She was stood on the path a little way behind him, her arms hanging loosely by her side and a small smile gracing her face. Her eyes seemed to shine in the gloom as she looked over at him.

Rhydian waited for a few moments as she gathered her thoughts.

'Your not coming with us are you?' she questioned tilting her head a little to the side as she spoke, her voice a little hesitant.

The forest once again fell into silence as Rhydian thought for a moment. He knew without a doubt that Jana had figured out the answer to that question already. She'd been following him ever since he had left Maddy's so it was pretty safe to say that she had heard their conversation, however he hadn't exactly come straight out and said that he was staying. Although it was clear by the tone of her voice that she had probably guessed the answer long before he had even admitted it to himself.

'I uh... I haven't deci...'

'Yes you have' Jana began, interrupting him mid sentence her voice now a lot more confident, the smile dropping away rather quickly as she stared at him across the bleak forest path.

Rhydian said nothing.

'I knew, I knew you wouldn't come with us' she stated clearly and very matter of factly.

Rhydian knew there was no point in trying to lie to her, she was very perceptive able to see through anything and everything, a good quality for a great Pack Leader, so he just averted his gaze once more to a rather interesting twig that lay innocently next to his right foot.

'Jana...'

'Its Maddy isn't it?' she said once again cutting him off.

The question caused him to snap his head back up and stare over at her, a slight blush creeping up his cheeks which he hoped Jana couldn't see given the low light of the forest, but judging by the small smirk that crossed her lips, her Wolfblood sight had obviously picked up on it.

'Everyone knows Rhydian, I don't know why you try to hide it' she said, watching in slight amusement as she noticed him getting more and more uncomfortable with every second that ticked by.

The two of them once again fell into silence, the occasional hoot of an Owl perched on a near by branch was the only sound that could be heard as Rhydian gathered his thoughts. He really didn't have a clue what to say, he'd pretty much expected her to question him about whether he was going to return with her and his Mother to the Wild, but he hadn't thought she would ever figure out that the reason was Maddy. He had thought that he had kept his feelings well hidden but obviously he hadn't been as careful as he had hoped.

'I'm sorry' Rhydian said suddenly breaking the stillness around them. He hadn't really known what to say so had said the first thing that popped into his head.

Jana smiled again and started to walk towards him 'Hey, its not me you should be apologising too'

Rhydian nodded knowingly 'Ceri, yeah I know, that's where I was headed'

'She'll understand' Jana said as she came to a stop a few feet from him.

'Really?' he questioned, eyes growing a little wide in anticipation of her answer.

Jana just nodded 'Of course'

Another moment of silence lay between them before Jana spoke once again.

'You love her don't you?'

'Who?' Rhydian asked a little to quickly given the fact that he already knew exactly who she was referring too.

The girl opposite him said nothing, she just glared at him in slight annoyance.

'I... I...' he began, unable to form a coherent sentence despite the fact that one was forming rather quickly in his head.

'Rhydian' Jana urged softly.

He took his eyes from hers and looked back down at the ground, hoping that the tell tale sign of blushing hadn't returned to his cheeks. The words that he had tried to get out a few seconds ago were slowly becoming logical and with a deep breath he looked back up at her and nodded.

'Yes' he began simply and as he watched the smile on her face grow once again he carried on 'Jana look, I know that you and Ceri both want me to go with you but I can't leave again, I can't leave Maddy again. Last time was bad enough, I was leaving friends and the first pack I'd ever known, but now, now I'll be leaving alot more than that' his face turned serious as he locked eyes with the girl in front of him 'I can't lose her again'

Jana just stared at him, the smile on her face now a wide, eye sparkling grin. She hadn't expected him to say so much, she had thought he would try and deny it, say that he felt nothing more than friendship for Maddy, so his confession had taken her back a little. It took a few moments for her to gather her thoughts before she spoke again, her voice echoing around the trees surrounding them.

'I think that's a good enough reason to stay' she said giggling softly.

'I don't know whether Ceri will agree' Rhydian replied a little nervously but Jana shrugged his concern off fairly quickly.

'All she wants is for you to be happy and if staying here with Maddy and everyone else will do that then she won't stand in your way' Jana said. She knew Ceri could be a little intimidating at times maybe appearing a little harsh to some people but she loved Rhydian and she only wanted what was best for him. Jana knew that deep inside Ceri had doubted whether Rhydian would take up her offer, no matter how much she wanted him to. She knew the bond that had developed between her Son and the Tame Wolfblood was strong and she knew it would take alot more than a request from his Mother to get him to leave.

'Well, I'll uh, I'll take your word for it' Rhydian smiled, though the fear at how his Mother would take the news was still weighing heavily on his mind.

'Shall we find out if I'm right then?' Jana urged with a nod of her head to the path leading off behind him.

Rhydian nodded.

'But if she eats me, I'll blame you' he teased, a cheeky glint in his eye.

Jana just smiled as she moved past him and headed down the long, dark and gloomy forest pathway.

Rhydian just watched her go for a moment as his head once again filled with thoughts of Maddy. Her beautiful face was etched into his memory, her eyes two twinkling stars in the sometimes bleak blackness of his subconscious. She was his guiding light, his touchstone and he now knew for certain that nowhere was home for him, nowhere was right unless she was there.

So with a small smile, Rhydian followed Jana down the forest path.

This was a very easy choice.


End file.
